Healing a Dragon
by ShadowThestral
Summary: Draco Malfoy is discovered carrying a large bundle outside the gates of Hogwarts. His is a broken mind and spirit after fighting in the war for eight years. Will the object inside the bundle be able to revive him and form a new life from the ashes?
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I swear, I think all of you have read enough of these to know that I do not own Harry Potter or any of his little friends, no matter how much I wish I did. Good enough for you?  
  
I had to start writing this simply because I need a small break from my other story "Family Issues". Just a little something to write to work through writer's block, so don't expect it to be updated often.  
  
Oh, there will be a few spoilers from the fifth book, but this will be AU considering I won't be taking anything other than a few creatures, structures, and other such bits.  
  
Thoughts for now shal be like this: \this is a thought/.  
  
Chapter 1: The Beginning  
  
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Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts, was currently walking around the grounds of his beloved school. With the outbreak of the war almost seven years ago and its continued ferocity, he almost never found time to do things like this anymore. No, he was usually piled under Order reports and sightings, news of attacks from across the country from his undercover agents, and everyday brought its fair share of deaths and bodies to be sorted out, from both the Dark and Light sides.  
  
He frowned slightly, turning off the normal path by the lake and followed along the gates that surrounded the school for the most part, taking his leisurely time before having to go back up to the castle. He could almost hear the wards snapping with energy as he passed so closely by. If anyone who shouldn't be getting in should try to, the consequences would be severe. The thought of those Muggle bug zappers came to mind, though even the thought of that wonderful excursion with some of his muggle-born friends couldn't break his current mood as he watched large rainclouds rolling in which would definitely be hitting the school that night.  
  
No, something very large was bothering him. Two weeks ago, he had sent his best agent out into the field for a routine mission to stop a widespread Dementor strike that would be occurring in a little town just north of Hogwarts. Harry Potter never came back.  
  
He remembered telling Sirius and Remus the news just this afternoon. After Remus restrained Sirius from throttling the headmaster, both had rounded on him for not telling them sooner that Harry was missing. But Dumbledore wasn't completely in the wrong. After all, Harry was supposed to be gone for about a week with strict orders to not attempt communication back as it would be too risky; no one became suspicious until after that time period had passed. By the time a team of trained Order members got out there, it was clear Mister Potter had gone missing in action, and from some signs around the outlying areas, one could clearly see an ambush had been planned and, unfortunately, executed.   
  
He shook his head sadly. The looks on Sirius' and Remus' faces seemed to say that their world had just been snatched away from them once the anger receded and their grief sank in. As far as Albus knew, both were still in his office even though it had been quite a few hours. He couldn't bear the thought of forcing them out of there, so he decided to leave them for a while.  
  
"Harry, what happened? Where are you?" he sighed, coming to a stop and looking up at the clouds again. Lost in his thoughts, they had come in quite fast and the thunder overhead and the rain that was starting seemed to tell anyone with sense to get inside. But remembering he didn't have much sense and not wanting to go back yet, he paused yet again in light of all his overwhelming thoughts, letting the rain start to fall down upon him unheeded.  
  
He hadn't yet contacted Hermione and Ron about the missing state of their dear friend.. He knew they were busy at the moment, with Ron in the Order and rushing about, and poor Hermione left with just little Stella to look after. That four year old could be a match for one of the Weasley twins when she grew up, with her flaming red hair back in two braids and little brown eyes glinting mischieviously. Professor Hermione Weasley had already had to apologize to Severus for pranks played on him by the child, though it was common knowledge among the members of the Order of the Phoenix that Uncles Sirius and Remus helped her out. The thought of their Potions professor brought him out of his thoughts of the family. Snape was currently layed up in the Hospital Wing from a previous attack's injuries, or else he would have already known what had happened.  
  
It worried him that Harry had gotten taken by ambush. That shouldn't have been an issue now. Yes, when he was just out of seventh year without so much as a clue as to how to go about things, Harry had often gone with a team in their fights. Now, however, 23 year- old Harry could have dealt with any number of Deatheaters and made it out of it fine. He had finally hit his magical maturity, and the boy was a force to be reckoned with when push came to shove.  
  
Albus, and anyone close to the boy really, had noticed that the battles had not agreed with him in the long run, though. The boy was more drawn in, less likely to have conversations and more likely to draw into the shadows and subconsciously try to hide himself in lieu of his training. He was leaner, more pressing, and once Albus had heard an Order member say, "Wow, Potter has grown so cold to the way he used to be at school! It's like he's a whole new person, and if I had the choice, I'd take the old Harry back."  
  
He wished Mr Potter had not needed to get involved in this war. He wished any number of people did not have to. So many students who would have been of great use had turned to the Dark side. Draco Malfoy appeared in his mind instantly, and he shook his head sadly. That poor boy. The headmaster remembered that fifth year, the year after the Dark Lord rose again, the boy had become quite quiet and had even stopped bothering Harry in their usual rivalry. Reports were that he ran away from the platform at the beginning of the summer holidays, and if his contacts that summer were any clue, Draco Malfoy seemed to have hidden himself in muggle London for the entire summer. He was discovered sometime before sixth year started, however, and no one heard from him again till two years ago, when he showed up at a Deatheater meeting with his father. According to Severus, the boy seemed not even a shadow of who he used to be. Incredibly more pale, wraithlike in appearance, and when he spoke, it was very softly and with no hint of his old confidence. The boy's spirit appeared to have finally been broken by his father. His father who, after having a few drinks after one of the Deatheater rallies, admitted to Severus that he had kept young Malfoy a prisoner in his own home and had apparently beat the spirit out of him. The boy was broken, and he did as he was told. Always.  
  
So many had been lost from both sides. Almost all of Gryffindor house had been wiped out in one of the earlier sweeps of the war with Lord Voldemort. Everyone in Harry's year in particular except for Ron an Harry himself died their seventh year in an attack at Hogsmeade. Ravenclaw numbers were beginning to dwindle amongst their ranks as these brave scholars were picked off to decrease intelligence reports on their side. Hufflepuffs, loyal to their families first, had mostly fled the country, heading for neutral countries.   
  
A surprising number of Slytherins had stayed loyal to the Light side, however, mostly the ones who came to school under Mr Potter and Mr Malfoy. He had once passed by the young Malfoy when he was telling the young ones not to go to Lord Voldemort when the time came, that they should be their own masters and bow to no one. It was one of the last times he saw that Malfoy smirk and attitude. Now the boy was... well, the boy could have been such a good addition to their side, which was now starting to waver in light of Voldemort's endless supporters.  
  
Crack! That thunder clap had been particularly close, noted Albus, now looking down at himself. He was thoroughly drenched from walking in the rain that was coming down with much force now, and the wind that was picking up made him pull his drenched robes around him ever more tightly. It was just then as he was starting to turn back towards the castle that he noticed a figure outside the entry gate. Looking more closely, the person seemed to be staggering and barely able to move under their own steam. Lighting his wand and preparing for battle, he decided to intercept the person before they made the grievious error of trying to get through the wards.  
  
"Who are you and what are you in need of?" he called loudly, trying to raise his voice over the rain and wind. The thunder and lightning overhead performed a dangerous dance across the heavens.  
  
The figure continued to work its way forward, as though not hearing Albus, and finally seemed to stumble and fall head first into the mud. Dumbledore noted with odd curiousity the way they twisted their body mid-fall to land with a loud squelch in the mud on their back, as though afraid of falling on their front. They were not having much luck trying to get up.  
  
At this point, Albus sighed and opened the gates, intending to go over and help the poor thing up if they'd let him. Both of them were going to be lucky if they just got bad colds from walking around in this weather. How Poppy would scold him...  
  
He held his wand out in front of him so as to shine the light with greater intensity of the figure's face. And he nearly dropped his wand as he instantly (and rather painfully) dropped to his knees to relieve the young man of his burden.   
  
It was young Malfoy, and looking at the mud dried onto his robes and hair, he guessed this was not the first time he had fallen. His robes were barely more than tatters and clung to his wraith frame, showing it in its full atrocity. No wonder the boy was having trouble walking. In his condition, it was a miracle he had been able to at all, and with the burden of carrying something, no less!   
  
Albus reached down to relieve the young man of this heavy thing. However, his hand was stalled almost instinctively as the boy drew his wand out and pointed it right between the man's eyes, obviously not recognizing the headmaster and clinging a protective arm ever more tightly around his bundle that he held to his chest. His grey eyes were wild and searching and yet not seeing. He seemed to be murmuring something, and Albus leaned his ear in so as to hear.  
  
"Must reach... Dumbledore... important.... news... must... ..."  
  
And then the boy, energy finally spent, fainted, head falling back into the mud outside the gates again. Albus, deciding not to upset the boy's condition any further, left the bundle with him, summoned a stretcher and, hovering the boy and bundle onto it, marched it back to Hogwarts. Passing through the corridors, he was suddenly grateful that it was summer and that only a few permanent teachers and faculty were here. His current state and the boy on the stretcher certainly would have caused a commotion, not that he wasn't about to in the Hospital Wing.  
  
=========  
  
"Madam, I do NOT need your help!"  
  
"Show a bit more gratitude, Severus Snape, or I'll see to it that the headmaster makes you stay longer!" Poppy screeched, and bustled off to her office.  
  
Snape growled as he gathered his things together from the bedside table and placed them in a box he had conjured. He had been stuck in the Hospital Wing for much longer than had been needed, and he wanted out damnit! He didn't care if his muscles were still sore and his left arm was still heavily bandaged as he lifted the heavy box of books he had used to pass the time; he wanted to get out while he still could, and heaven save the nurse if she tried to stop him.  
  
With this last thought and a little nod to his head as though to empower it, he made his way down the long corridor towards the entrance and exit, mind solely on getting back to his Potions lab. Getting knocked over just as he reached the door was not what he had been expecting in the least, and he overbalanced, toppling to the floor. Rubbing the back of his head gingerly after recovering, he watched as a stretcher and the headmaster rushed passed him and towards the nearest bed.  
  
\Now who could that be?/ thought Snape, and picking himself up off the stone floor, box forgotten, he made his way over to the victim as Dumbledore ran off for Poppy. What he saw shocked him.  
  
\Malfoy?! What is he doing here? hhmmm... Better yet, what happened while I was out?/  
  
He scowled as he tried to remember what had occurred, barely registering the nurse checking the boy for injury. For what he had been told, he had been in a state of unconsciousness for the past three or so weeks until he had awoken quite suddenly and violently almost three days ago. All he could recall was a large amount of pain in his head and left arm, but Poppy couldn't locate the source of the problem. She waved them off as part of the concussion he had suffered along with the numerous severe burns that covered the arm that had come into contact with the enchanted fire.  
  
His attention was called back to reality when the headmaster had gently moved him off to the side so he and Poppy could have better access to Mister Malfoy. Now that he looked closely, both Albus and Draco were completely soaked and covered with some degree of mud. Had he found Malfoy outside, and if so, why did he bring the boy inside, knowing this boy was Voldemort's main attack force?   
  
\Probably has to do with Albus' Gryffindor tendencies/, Severus scoffed.  
  
"Severus, would you be so kind?" asked Albus, holding up a large bundle of some sort. Snap glared but took the thing from the old man anyway, laying it down on the bed nearest by. He swore he felt moving from inside it. \Odd/, he thought, one eyebrow arched. Looking behind him to see that the nurse and headmaster were busy with the boy, he began to unfold what Draco had been carrying. The object inside seemed to shift more as he got closer to the centre. What he reached made both his eyebrows almost touch his hairline.  
  
A young boy, probably no older than six, was uncurling from where he had obviously been sleeping. There was something the professor knew he should recognize about this child, but he couldn't place it... not until the child opened his eyes, revealing a startled emerald gaze as he looked around him, and then at the potion's master himself.  
  
"Whe- where am I? First Aunt 'Tunia's yelling, then a blonde mister is there, a-and I fell asleep..." The obviously confused child looked on the verge of tears if those glistening emerald eyes were any indicator.  
  
"Dumbledore, you might want to look at this..." Snape said. When the headmaster didn't respond, Snape, not daring to take his eyes off of the child, reached behind him and pulled on the older man's robe sleeve.  
  
"Severus, I'm afraid I'm busy," he started, turning around, "I do not... what on earth?"  
  
This had attracted Poppy's attention and looking up from her patient and pausing in cleaning the mud from the blonde hair, she gave a startled cry at the sight of the boy and rushed over to the other side.   
  
"...Harry?" said Dumbledore, and was shocked when the little boy, who'd had his head hung, slightly sniffling, looked up at his query.  
  
"H-huh?" and then the child's eyes seemed to try and focus. "My glasses- I left t-them... oh, Aunt 'Tunia's going to be so mad..." the young Harry Potter said, looking around in the large bundle of robes in which he'd been sitting, trying to find them.  
  
Maybe it went unnoticed by the other two, so obviously enthralled in the boy's condition, but Severus quickly spotted it.  
  
"Potter, what's that on your cheek?" The two others now noticed it and wondered appallingly how they hadn't before. A large bruise in the shape of a handprint was placed firmly across the small child's cheekbone. The boy quickly looked around, green eyes darting from one to the other before he quietly said, "It's my fault... shoulda not done the M word... I didn't mean to..."  
  
"The M word?" Severus mouthed, but Poppy, clearly noticing the child's stress, just said, "There now, dear. We're not mad. It will be all sorted out. Just lay down and get some sleep okay? There you are." The boy, who seemed to only be wearing a generic shirt and pants easily gave in and crawled under the covers while the nurse took away the robes left behind. Albus noticed the shocked and now happy look on young Harry's face as he snuggled deeper into the warm sheets to escape the cool air inside the Hospital Wing, quickly dozing off.  
  
"Well, Albus," started the matron, clearly switching back to her usual briskness, "Young Malfoy here will recover. He seems to have suffered from several deep cuts and from severe starvation, but besides the obvious needs of good food and plenty of rest, he will recover physically. As for Mr Potter, well, perhaps we should wait for both of them to wake up before pressing onward."  
  
Albus nodded, and both watched the nurse head back to her office to most likely pull up her new patients' files.  
  
Looking back now, Severus noticed that Draco was now in hospital pajamas and sleeping as well. Evidently Poppy had done much while he had been investigating Malfoy's bundle. If anything, he had more questions after finding young Potter. Potter and Malfoy had been the main forces fighting against eachother for the past few years, ever since Draco had resurfaced as a mindless puppet. What was going on?  
  
Dumbledore, suing that maddening ability of his, stated, "I suppose we'll have to wait for Mister Malfoy to wake up before we can answer that. I have to go tell two distraught Marauders that Harry has quite unexpectedly turned up."  
  
Snape quickly left the Hospital Wing after locating his box. Goodness knows he wasn't willing to deal with THOSE two right now while giving a small grimace. He was glad of his decision when he heard a loud yell of glee in the direction of the headmaster's office and hurried footsteps reverberating off the stone walls. He quickly set off for his dungeons.  
  
(April 7-8, 2004) 


	2. Skippy We Go!

Disclaimer: I swear, I think all of you have read enough of these to know that I do not own Harry Potter or any of his little friends, no matter how much I wish I did. Good enough for you?  
  
I had to start writing this simply because I need a small break from my other story "Family Issues". Just a little something to write to work through writer's block, so don't expect it to be updated often.  
  
Oh, there will be a few spoilers from the fifth book, but this will be AU considering I won't be taking anything other than a few creatures, structures, and other such bits.  
  
Chapter 2: Skippy We Go!  
  
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"Come on Remus! Harry's back!" shouted the giddy Marauder out in front. All Dumbledore had had to do was tell the two downtrodden men in his office that Harry was in the Hospital Wing, and they had scrambled out of their chairs and bolted, not even waiting for the old man.  
  
Remus, putting on an extra burst of speed, passed his friend with an arched eyebrow and a grin, which lead into a full-out sprint the last 50 metres to the wing's entrance. Albus called out to them from behind.  
  
"You two! I need to speak with you first!"  
  
Pretending they didn't notice, however, they slammed themselves through the doors, though quietly so Poppy didn't notice. They stopped, eagerly looking around for the face that belonged to the young man they knew so well. They couldn't find him. One quick scan quickly told them no black hair was in this room.  
  
Scowling they turned around only to meet the gaze of Albus, who ushered them slightly outside into the hallway.   
  
"I told you I needed to talk to you first," he gently chided, though the other two weren't falling for it. "Now, for some reason currently unknown to us, Draco Malfoy showed up at the Hogwarts gates this afternoon. I brought him inside for treatment"- he held up a hand to stop Sirius' comment- "and the bundle of robes he was carrying with him. While Poppy and I treated him, Severus took the robes and set them down on the nearest bed. It seems that a six year-old Harry had been sleeping inside of them."  
  
Remus and Sirius both looked a little stunned... for approximately three seconds, before grinning wildly. Harry was alive, and better yet, they would get to see him as a child, something they had been denied.  
  
Albus continued, a slight frown pushing its way onto the wrinkled face as he studied the two Marauders. "Now, don't make too much noise on this part, especially you, Sirius. The boy is sleeping right now, and you may see him. However, before he went to sleep, Severus spotted quite a large bruise on the child's face shaped like a handprint. He would have had to have been slapped very hard to be that dark, and it still looks very fresh.... Now, I don't believe Harry remembers anything recently. From the few sentences he said, it sounded as though the child doesn't know where he is and was with his aunt just a while ago. Of course, you know this is quite impossible."  
  
Sirius and Remus exchanged dark glances. The Dursley's were lucky they had been already been killed years ago by Deatheaters, or they would be after their blood right now. They knew, from the few times Harry had told them about his life with them that he had been the victim of a negligent, and perhaps abusive, childhood. Here was their proof.  
  
"Now, let me take you in, or Poppy will most likely kick you out. And do not attack Draco Malfoy either." He gave them both a glance and opened the door for them to enter again.  
  
Now that they looked closer Malfoy was lying there in a bed, though he was so pale and so thin, he blended into the white sheets and barely made a rise under them. The bed next to him looked to have a little lump up near the pillows. Approaching, Remus gently pulled the covers down a little. A head of black hair and a childish face, eyes closed in sleep greeted him. Sirius was almost jumping on the spot in glee. Albus smiled at both men, and whispered a spell which effectively healed the bruise on the child's face. The magic coursing over his face seemed to have caused him to shift slightly, but overall he remained asleep. The three watched him for a moment before a soft rustling of sheets behind them made the group turn.  
  
Draco Malfoy had woken up and was currently searching around for something, most likely his wand. He gave up and slowly shifting, rose out of the bed, approaching them. Sirius was restrained from blocking the blonde as Draco focused his dead eyes on Harry. Standing next to the bed now, all three watched in confusion as the young man bowed to the sleeping child in bed, before turning around and heading towards the door.  
  
"Might I enquire as to where you're going, Mister Malfoy?" asked Albus. The boy twitched when he halted, as though expecting some sort of punishment, but when none came, he simply said, "I must go fix Master breakfast before he wakes up."   
  
"Mister Malfoy, you are ill," began Dumbledore, though quite surprised by the answer. "You will get back into bed, and breakfast will be brought to both you and young Harry."  
  
Without complaint, Draco turned around and went back to his bed, pulling the sheets around him but sitting up quite straight nevertheless. Sirius was dumbfounded, as was Remus. This boy had been the Dark Lord's mightiest weapon besides the Dark Lord himself?! Oh, how the mighty have fallen...  
  
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Wake up, and serve Master,/ it says in my head, and I obey it, as I have since I remember. I wake up and open my eyes, taking in with a quick glance my surroundings. Master must have moved, for he is no longer in my arms as I walk.   
  
You brought Master here, remember? Now rise up and serve him./  
  
I look around for my wand. I can't find it. Must go pay respects to Master before making him breakfast, nevertheless. The men watch me as I approach the bedside. I know their names from the war. Sirius Black being restrained by Remus Lupin, and Albus Dumbledore watches on. Should I speak to him of why I'm here?  
  
First, you must make Master breakfast./ Right. Deep bow to my sleeping Master and off towards the kitchens. Somehow I know this place, though how I don't remember.  
  
"Might I enquire as to where you are going, Mister Malfoy?"  
  
I flinch, expecting a curse or whip to hit my back, but none comes. Yes, that was old Master who did those things. I hadn't spoken with new Master yet. I should speak.  
  
"I must go fix Master breakfast before he wakes up."  
  
"Mister Malfoy, you are ill. You will get back in bed, and breakfast will be brought to both you and young Harry."  
  
An order: get back in bed. I comply, seating myself on the bed. The men look at me oddly, but then , many people did. I don't know why. Harry? That's my new Master's name? Why does it sound so familiar? Wait, the battle, it comes back to me. Yes, Harry Potter. He killed old Master, so he shall take control of me now. I am to serve. I will accept any request. Always.  
  
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"Okay, he's kinda freaking me out, Moony," Sirius whispered to his friend as Draco watched them unblinkingly for ten solid minutes. His eyes were so dead, and Sirius recognized those kind of eyes. He had once had eyes like that, they appeared sometimes still. But was this what Harry looked at back in third year in the Shrieking Shack? The shell of a human with one single goal in mind?  
  
He was woken from his musings as the door opened, with Poppy levitating two food trays in front of her, both containing a bowl of some thick, savory soup, a slice of bread, and even a tiny cup of sherbert with a glass of pumpkin juice.  
  
"If you would, Albus, my hands are full," she requested, looking at the sleeping Harry before crossing over to Mister Malfoy where she ordered him back into bed all the way, before setting up a food tray in front of him.  
  
Meanwhile, Albus approached young Harry, gently calling, "Harry? Harry, it's time for breakfast. Come on, wake up!"   
  
Smiles lit up three faces as the boy's eyes fluttered open, revealing a rested child who slowly stretched before sitting up. Sirius was almost to a breaking point; he didn't care if someone saw him cry right now, his godson was alive and at least for the moment, the Boy Who Lived had escaped from the Hell that was his life.  
  
"Misters," said Harry, in a shy, childish voice that caused Lupin's grin to increase even furhter, "I'm sorry. I can't see you. My glasses are gone."  
  
"That can be fixed easily, Harry," chuckled Dumbledore, and with a swish of his wand, a new set of glasses appeared in his hands. He bent over and gave them to Harry, who gave a small smile and said, "Thank you, Mister."  
  
"No need for such formal titles, Harry," said Albus, looking at the other two, and Sirius and Remus soon found themselves being looked at by the child. "You can call me Albus, and these two are Sirius and Remus."  
  
"Sairius and who?" frowned Harry. He liked the names, they gave off a mysterious aura that his relatives wouldn't like, but he could not pronounce them. Besides, he was sure he had seen these men somewhere before...  
  
"Just call us Padfoot and Moony, Harry. It's easier," said Remus. Harry felt the man had just read his thoughts. He decided he liked these mysterious men. They were much nicer than his relatives.  
  
"Excuse me, headmaster," came an impatient voice from the back of the cluster. A harassed looking Madam Pomfrey came into view with a tray full of food.  
  
"Now, Mister Potter," and Harry jumped, turning his attention to her, "If you could just scoot back a little, and we'll get you all set up for breakfast. We need to get you used to eating again."  
  
"Sorry, but where's the blonde mister?" asked Harry, turning bright eyes on Albus.   
  
"I believe he is next to you, just there."  
  
Harry quickly turned and sure enough, there sat his blonde mister in the bed next to his, looking at him. To the others' surprise, Harry climbed off the bed and shyly walked up to Draco, before engulfing him in a hug. Draco sat motionless.  
  
"Thank you for taking me out of the scary field, blonde mister," whispered Harry, before pulling back and looking at his saviour. "What is your name?"  
  
Draco paused a moment, as though he had to think about it before he replied, "Draco."  
  
Harry giggled. "Everyone has such fun names here, don't they, Draaacooooo?"   
  
"Yes, they do."  
  
"Well, let's eat breakfast, okay? These people might change their minds if we don't hurry" said the small boy and here he covered the short distance to his bed, scampering back on top of it so Poppy could set the tray down. This was a lot of food. Was it all for him? He looked back over to Draco. The boy was watching him, not even touching his food.  
  
"Well, are we going to eat or not, Draacoo?" asked Harry, arching an eyebrow, looking just for an instant like the grown Harry would. This statement must have been good enough for Draco, because as soon as Harry began to eat, so did the blonde.  
  
Meal finished, Sirius watched as both Harry and Draco sank back into their beds in apparent exhaustion. The two looked as though they hadn't eaten in a long while and that the effort of holding down so much food was very tiring. Kinda like when he was on the run.  
  
He stood up and went over between the two occupied beds with Remus and Albus.  
  
"Harry, if you would please stay here for a few minutes with Madam Pomfrey. Remus, Sirius, and myself need to speak with Draco privately," said Albus. The boy seemed to not like what he'd heard, as his eyes became slightly fearful and his tiny hands wrung the bed sheets.  
  
" 'kay," the small child said before looking back up at the group. "You pwomise you'll come back?"  
  
"Of course we'll come back Harry," exclaimed Sirius, playfully ruffling the child's hair, while Remus nodded with a small smile. It seemed it perked the boy up a bit.  
  
"I promise I will be back shortly, my Master," said Draco, giving a deep bow, before the group of men led him out of the Hospital Wing, leaving a very curious boy behind.  
  
Now that he was actually looking around, this place he was in was amazing. It was some sort of hospital. He knew that because he remembered when he'd gone to the hospital. That was the time that Dudley fell through the stairs, into the cupboard, and onto Harry, breaking an arm and cracking a few ribs. He'd been in the hospital a few days, and boy had the Dursley's been mad with him!  
  
He shook his head. He didn't want to think of those bad thoughts now, not when he so desperately wanted to see more of this place! But wait, he told the other men that we would wait here. He didn't want the only people that had ever been nice to him to get mad or sad. He slumped back on the floor at the spot he had wandered to where he could clearly see the hallway outside the hospital place. Madam Pomfrey (she said to call her Poppy) was nowhere to be found, and he just wished that something would happen.  
  
Not within five minutes of him thinking that, the undeniable sound of singing sprouted from the hall, a very childish, very girlish voice. He peeked around the door just at the time the girl was skipping past which resulted in both falling hard onto the stone. After making sure he and his glasses were fine, he looked over to see the little girl gaping at him. She seemed in his eyes to be a few years younger than him though just about as tall with flaming red hair pulled back into two braids and large chocolate hazel eyes. She was wearing a maroon dress that was similar to the style the men had been wearing earlier. His question about why they were wearing dresses was shortlived as the girl let loose a bright smile on him and held out her hand, helping him up.  
  
"Hi. I'm Stella. What's your name?"  
  
"Harry," he said, blushing slightly as someone about his own age was being so nice. Dudley had scared away any friends he had made.  
  
"That's the name of my uncle. Neat!" she chirped, before grabbing Harry's hand in her own and started pulling him away.  
  
"Uhm, where are we going?"  
  
"Easy! I ran an erwand for Mama. I have to go back, I need to show her my new friend!"  
  
Harry looked sideways at her, startled, and asked,"I'm your friend? Really?"  
  
"O' course! There's only big peoples around, and I like you!" she said before she pulled them to a stop, looking around very serious-like. "But now you learn the official friend song!"  
  
And off she went skipping with Harry quickly learning her song and how to skip, and they sang out in the corridors:  
  
Come on, if you listen carefully  
  
Such a sweet melody  
  
The three 'o' clock fairies are calling me  
  
Knock on the sleeping door  
  
Get out of bed hurry  
  
Let's go to a candyland on a ship  
  
Ah! Full of dreams  
  
Mint pies and apple pies  
  
Good cake, good spirits  
  
Yippee yippee cookies!....  
  
On they sang past staircases and portraits, Harry being too busy singing and laughing to notice they were actually moving, until they arrived outside a heavy-looking wooden door. It must have been just appearances though, thought Harry, because Stella easily pushed it open, still holding his hand and dragged him inside, the door closing behind them.  
  
"Mama! I'm back!" she called, and within moments, a rather pretty lady with wavy brown hair and eyes like Stella's appeared from another room. She smiled upon seeing her daughter, coming over and kneeling in front of her.  
  
"Did you give the batch of mice back to Headmaster Dumbledore?" the lady asked, straightening out her daughter's dress thingy.  
  
"Yes. Lookie, I found a new friend!" Stella exclaimed, motioning towards her friend, who looked up at his friend's mum. "His name is Harry, just like Uncle Harry!"  
  
"H-Hello, uhm..." started Harry, getting nervous under the rather shocked and scrutinizing look she was giving him.  
  
"Hello, Harry. My name's Hermione," said Stella's mum, gently taking one of Harry's hands and shaking it. "It's a pleasure to meet you."  
  
However, that was just her outward appearance. On the inside, Hermione was a nervous wreck. What had happened?! But then, when Harry tried to introduce himself, she forgot it for a moment. She gladly introduced herself and made sure to let him know she was happy to see him. From what she remembered of the very few things Harry had mentioned about the Dursley's, was the fact that no one ever appeared happy that he was there.  
  
"Stella, why don't you and Harry go to your room, alright? I need to see the headmaster for a little while."  
  
The little girl quickly agreed and soon both kids were out of sight. Quickly striding over to the fireplace, she tossed in a handful of powder and said, "Headmaster's office!" intent on finding out what was going on.  
  
What she didn't expect to see upon arriving was an interrogation going on involving one of Lord Voldemort's right hand men, Draco Malfoy.  
  
-----------------------------  
  
A/N: Just in case you were wondering, the bit of song they were singing is "Sanji no Yosei" and those are the english lyrics. Such a cute song. Bunch of little kids singing, and it's a definite perk-up song. You can't help but sing along! Ron will probably appear soon, as much as the man annoys me, ad we'll learn much more about what happened between Draco and Harry and possibly why Harry has regressed! Bwah! Oh, and I'm sorry for not updating Family Issues yet, but right now the block is there. I mean, I dished out 29 chapters in about 4 months right? Don't I deserve a bit of a reprieve? 


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